Planning

Posted on July 3, 2014

July 3, 2014

I’ve been busy putting a plan together. I’m always putting a plan together. I can be having a perfectly nice time and I’ll be planning other perfectly nice times without fully immersing myself in the current perfectly nice time. It’s not very sensible, though as things go, it is relatively harmless.

It’s nine fairly planless years since arriving here, so maybe a plan is due. And, as I say in the new book, it feels like I’ve just started. The first three years were spent finding my feet, making obvious mistakes, learning and deciding what to grow, three more were consumed in making larger mistakes and undoing some of what I’d done in years 1-3, and the last three have gone pretty well.

For all its limitations and cock ups, Otter Farm an interesting place. There are plenty of things grown on these 17 acres that aren’t to be found anywhere else in the country – pecans and sansho peppers among them. They are also found in interesting combinations, especially in the forest garden and perennial garden.

Here’s a little beak in early May, when we made a promo for the new book.

People want to come but the place is closed: we have none of the facilities that would make running courses here possible. I’d like to put that right.

Although reasonably awful at most things, I have been good at five: table tennis, writing books, playing pool, making cocktails, running courses, and miscounting. Clearly, I should be running courses here, making cocktails for those that come, and be investing in a table tennis table, a pool table and maths lessons.

So, after a good few months working with the architects, meetings with the planners and people in the village, we have submitted a planning application for a Kitchen Garden School, winery, small outlet that also incorporates a place to live. There would be two buildings: one, a winery and small shop with storage; the other building, combining a kitchen/dining room large enough to accommodate people for courses and a place for us to live.

It’s a big gamble – we will have to invest everything we have plus borrow a hatful – but one we want to take.

The design of the buildings follows the flow of a plough, sweeping up from the west and with living roofs that melt the buildings into the landscape when viewed from the west, while remaining open to the light from east and south. Obviously, they’d be built to the highest sustainability standards we can.

The Otter Farm Kitchen Garden School will be for all things – not just gardening – to do with that journey from plot to plate. If you want to learn a little about growing, preparing, cooking and preserving herbs, spices, vegetables, fruit and nuts then this will be the place to come. If you are inquisitive about raising organic pigs, chickens and sheep on a domestic scale, growing grapes for wine, forest gardening, permaculture, low carbon growing or making the most of your produce in the kitchen, we will have something for you.

Everything here is about flavour and everything on the courses will focus on getting the finest, most delicious food from the soil and making the most of it in the kitchen.

And there will be others here too – cooks, growers, gardeners, preservers, fermenters, guests from other interesting places local and from overseas – to add to the uniqueness of what we do. It will be unlike anywhere else and it’ll be fun.

The winery will allow us to make wine from our grapes as well as short runs of other delicious things like cassis from blackcurrants, Nocino from green walnuts, cider and vinegars. And the ability to process our own produce gives us the opportunity to cover even more of these 17 acres with delicious food grown in interesting ways.

It is not a huge development, but we think it is hugely significant. It’ll be like nowhere else. With the go-ahead we’ll be able to open up this unique place, the ideas and the produce to visitors, schools and other community groups and hope to inspire and enable more people to grow a little of their own food and to make the most of it in the kitchen.

Judging from the reaction at the open meeting we held in the village and subsequent feedback, people here and in surrounding areas are very much behind the idea – it will create local employment, boost other local businesses (especially food and accommodation providers) and allow us to supply low-carbon, chemical-free produce to those in the area.

If you like the idea, we would really appreciate your help. Please have a look here and leave a comment. Once in a while the server is slow,

The level of support the proposal attracts could make a big difference to the decision making. It’s also important that the planners are sure that there is support for the project from the wider area, but also from further afield as well as those who might want to come for courses or to lose at table tennis.

Don’t put it off or think your support is unimportant – it really could make all the difference and it doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes to add your support.

Even if you live a thousand miles away or even ten thousand – yours will be another voice that tells the decision makers that this would be something unique, special and important, and that there is a demand from around the country (and beyond) to come here.

The deadline is close. If you feel so inclined, please do it today. And please share/retweet/email with anyone who might be interested.

Thank you very much. I promise to get back to writing the usual nonsense shortly.

85 comments on “Planning”

Co-incidentally Wellywoman and I were just saying last night how it would be great to visit your place. This sounds like a great idea. Once the server is back online I’ll leave a comment. I have no *great* anecdotes about table tennis, planning applications or kitchen garden schools, even my pool ones are restricted to either, that amazing shot I made one time *yawn* or the girlfriend I had for 6 months who was beating be 47 games to 39 when we split up, *yawns again*, or the time me and my mate (equally as mediocre a player as me) cleaned up in a pub after being challenged for a game of winner keeps all, *snores*. So you leave me no choice to tell you about my trips to Sidmouth (which by my reckoning is in East Devon). I used to go every year for the folk festival stopping with the rest of the crusties on the campsite. On once such occasion I was stood out the back of the converted ambulance as two attractive girls were walking past, I thought it a great time to show off my firebreathing, pretending I was practicing, unfortunately I took no account of the wind direction and only realized my error when the flames came back at me. Needless to say girls are not impressed by guys with no eyebrows. Come to mention it I have loads of Sidmouth anecdotes, roll on more blog posts…….

Ah Sidmouth folk festival. My tale involves a 12 mile walk home in the middle of the night, Moondance on the tuba, a narrowly-missed foursome and a ‘bad energy pack’. Best saved for the pub. (Not) Sorry to hear about yr eyebrows.

This progressive development is perfect for the West Country not only promoting a key industry but developing the art of growing and the craft of cooking. For too long the ‘chip van’ culture has undermined the food industry in the west and the plans proposed here represent a positive move in more valuable and sustainable direction

Fabulous idea and I wish you every succes, Mark.
This is very much my sort of thing both personally and professionally (I set up Tuppenny Barn’s social media originally and work with some regional garden shows) so I will certainly RT etc.
If you would like me to work with you on a more formal basis (i.e. modestly paid) let me know!
Regards
Diana

The new development sounds absolutely brilliant. Not only do I love the plough-inspired architecture, I think the school will be really popular. As the climate becomes ever more distant from what we used to know and love, it’s time to learn about what else we can start growing that we couldn’t before, and Otter Farm is fulfilling that demand with these plans. I look forward to booking a course!

I wholeheartedly support the whole Diacono clan and the plans! I myself run courses on crafts, rural skills and gardening field to plate and I see the difference a day out in the fresh air makes to people. Sharing and learning together is a fundamental human need. I really hope you get the go ahead and I am sure other gardeners and garden designers and other industry professionals would also love to come and learn more about things we don’t know. There is always so much to learn! Bonne chance!

What a fantastic idea. Just logged on to the planning site and added my support. I live not too far from Kate Humble’s Rural Skills Centre and they had quite an issue with the locals. If you’ve got the local community on your side then that’s a great start. Good luck with it all. Fingers and everything else crossed.

P.s.I can only apologise for Pianoleaner and his anecdotes. Still it’s useful he has another outlet for them. 😉

We’ve been very bowled over by local support – thinking of endless possibilities that hadnt even crossed my mind as ways it could be good for the local community. We’ve been v lucky with people near us indeed. And please dont apologise…we are performing an essential community function in providing an outlet for his ‘stories’

A brilliant vision and development in all aspects. It looks amazing, tasteful. all the very best with it. it can only enhance the surrounds and area, provide job opportunities and have a knock on effect in boosting the local economy.

Thanks Giles, and for yr comment left on the council website – every single comment is v much appreciated and really helps. We have friends staying but will be down hopefully and thanks for the Bicton idea, cd be v handy

Mark
Just been sent an EU document which might be helpful as material to substantiate the argument about crafting this lovely plan to reality. Are you around tomorrow? – I have a few things which might be helpful and I’m not very good at messages they ramble on more than I usually do.
Paul x
ps: tough maths at the bottom of the page!

Sounds like a fantastic idea. I am currently successfully growing your courgettes, mouse melons, mange tout, runner beans and French beans. All look good and have restored my faith in veg growing along with soo much better weather.

Your project would be one that I would support and look to visit. Surely a boost to the locality by providing employment.

All done, my lovely & the very best of luck to you all! As an aside, I seem to remember the dedication to practice the fine art of hostelry pool playing to be far greater than the mastery of the skill…

Hi Mark
This seems like a very good idea. It is a natural progression in the organic development of Otter Farm. The buildings perfectly reflect the ethos of the work you do and will provide a superb venue for teaching, processing, eating and living. Best of luck with the planners. I hope they recognise that sensitively designed sustainable architecture such as this adds to the distinctiveness and character of the place, as well as contributing to the local economy and community. If you let me know the Planning Application reference number (yawn, yawn) I will comment. Cheers Simon

This is a completely brilliant plan. I live in the Isle of Man and would certainly make the trip down for a course, or wine tasting, cocktails or a thrashing at Table tennis.
As a keen gardener I will always be looking to improve my plot, I do a lot of country crafts, natural dying and felt making and could also see this kind of workshop working at Otter farm. I also believe that there is a fantastic community opportunity for this project, local workers and also college students, I am sure all aged people and abilities can get involved…..It’s going to be great, well done.

I am happily learning and cooking from ‘A year at Otter Farm’ at the moment and did think how wonderful it would be to see the farm in action and to learn some more about growing specialist fruit and veg. I do think the plans would be valuable not just to the local area but to take the research and debate about eating and growing healthy food further and not relying on processed food from supermarkets in this time poor age we live in.

I want to echo: “A brilliant vision and development in all aspects. It looks amazing, tasteful. all the very best with it. it can only enhance the surrounds and area, provide job opportunities and have a knock on effect in boosting the local economy.’

On a personal note, I was blown away by the diversity and ambitious nature of the planting you already have and I definitely felt that people would benefit hugely from learning from Mark and Candida’s knowledge. Gardening is not a only a huge pleasure, it also provides the food we need, a connection with nature around us and is good for our well being. Long may this be encouraged.

I think this idea sounds wonderful. A few years ago I bought your book, A taste of the Unexpected, and since then have followed your blogs. One disappointment for me has always been not being able to visit- to see for myself the wonderful and interesting things you grow. I would definitely make the journey (from Portsmouth) so good luck with the venture. Fingers crossed.

It’s a no brainer. I love food. I love Devon. I love just the very idea of Egyptian walking onions……… My grandfather (who I never met ) was from Dawlish. I feel in my gut this will be a brilliant thing. I had to give up my allotment, which broke my heart, and live vicariously now through your blog and on the Food programme on radio 4. Are you selling shares? I’m self employed and currently unemployed but starting a job later in the year. I can offer you a modest sum, say , a couple of hundred pounds, in return for, – dont know what really. Call it an ethical investment. Is this what crowdfunding is? anyway , – it’s yours!

Hi gillian, thank you for yr v lovely comments. There may well be some crowdfunding element to this…I’ve not thought too far into details as it could all be wasted time if we dont get th eyes…but fingers crossed. I will certainly be blogging/newslettering etc if/when there is more news

I sent this to the planning authority and I hope it helps you succeed. I have bought seeds from you and enjoyed your book.

As a fellow smallholder I understand the process of trying to make the best out of what you have. Sometimes it is difficult to find out how to approach projects, be they livestock, veg or orchard planting and it is even harder to find suitable education. To have practical courses and advice available would be brilliant. I would certainly make the not insubstantial journey to view what Otter Farm has achieved or to go on a course there. Marvellous diversification!

The more that learning how to garden and grow what we eat along with taking on board cocktail making and table tennis skills the better. Mark I shall definitely now go to the planning portal to give support to your excellent building scheme.

I’ve always wanted to win at lung pong and learn how to cook. Sounds fabulous. I wish you all the luck in the world and would say how wonderful an idea it is to the planners but don’t know where they are.

Excellent idea and one I would support for the growing of food and herbs in an environmentally friendly way. Hope the planner use their common sense and approve your proposed planning app. When you open let me know, I would be interested in buying fresh herbs and learning how to preserve them for the winter. 🙂

This is exactly the kind of sustainable development the National Planning Policy Framework says it wants support – good use of rural land for food production, low impact, well-designed building which responds to its surroundings and a business which is beneficial to the local economy. I support it and would travel from Bristol to attend courses.

This is a great idea Mark and will be a perfect excuse to come down to Devon and catch up, perhaps beat you at table tennis like the old days of Exmouth Enterprise (at least that’s how I remember it). I’d be able to pick up some useful tips for our allotment as well.